Tom Wappel on Criminal Code

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-224, an act to amend the Criminal Code (offence committed outside Canada).

Mr. Speaker, section 6(2) of the Criminal Code specifies that, with few exceptions such as war crimes, hostage taking and hijacking, persons are not to be convicted of offences committed outside Canada. This results in situations where, as has happened, two Canadians holidaying in the Caribbean assault another Canadian. At present there is no way of prosecuting those people in Canada.

If the authorities in the Caribbean do not proceed with a charge, the people get away with what would clearly be a crime if committed in Canada.

My bill closes this loophole by providing that any act or omission committed outside Canada, which if committed in Canada would constitute an offence under the Criminal Code, shall be deemed to have been committed in Canada if the perpetrator is a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or is present in Canada after the commission of the act.